Combination lock construction,particularly for lockers

ABSTRACT

A COMBINATION LOCK ASSEMBLY FOR LOCKER DOORS AND THE LIKE, WHEREIN A PLURALITY OF DIAL ASSEMBLIES ARE LOCATED IN PROGRESSIVELY OUTWARDLY SPACED RELATION FORWARDLY BASE PLATE ON THE DOOR AND CONTROL PLURAL TUMBLER WHEEL MEMBERS EACH HAVING A PERIPHERAL GATE. THE BASE PLATE HAS A FIXED FENCE BAR LOCATED IN HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF THE DIAL ASSEMBLIES, WITH WHICH THE PERIPHERAL GATES ARE ALIGNED, WHEREUPON THE DIAL ASSEMBLIES AND TUMBLER WHEELS CAN BE SHIFTED LATERALLY AS A UNIT TO A POSITION RETRACTING A BOLT FROM LOCKING POSITION.

COMBINATION LOCK CONSTRUCTION, PARTICULARLY FOR LOCKERS Filed April 27, 1970 Oct. 12, 197] w. E. ATKINSON 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I NVE NTOR (lIIIIII/IA WA LLAce. E. A'rkmsoN mmgmg (it ATTORNEYS Oct. 12, 1971 w. E. ATKINSON 3,611,761

COMBINATION LOCK CONSTRUCTION, PARTICULARLY FOR LOCKERS Filed April 2'7, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR WALLACE E. A-mmsou 1215015 gamma.

ATTORNEYS 1971 w. E. ATKINSON I 3,61

COMBINATION LOCK CONSTRUCTION, PARTICULARLY FOR LOCKERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 2'7, 1970 .I s m .m A E E c A L L m A "I'I'II'" B'r' ma.suwm& f&unmw

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,611,761 COMBINATION LOCK CONSTRUCTION, PARTICULARLY FOR LOCKERS Wallace E. Atkinson, Petersburg, Va., assignor to Long Manufacturing Co., Inc., Petersburg, Va. Filed Apr. 27, 1970, Ser. No. 31,999 Int. Cl. E05b 37/02 US. Cl. 70-129 21 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A combination lock assembly for locker doors and the like, wherein a plurality of dial assemblies are located in progressively outwardly spaced relation forwardly of a base plate on the door and control plural tumbler wheel members each having a peripheral gate. The base plate has a fixed fence bar located in horizontal alignment with the axis of rotation of the dial assemblies, with which the peripheral gates are aligned, whereupon the dial assemblies and tumbler wheels can be shifted laterally as a unit to a position retracting a bolt from locking position.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates in general to combination locks, and more particularly to combination locks designed especially for use on the doors of lockers, cabinets and storage receptacles such as those employed in educational institutions, factories and the like, and which are also useful on hinged doors, desks, filing cabinets, and other containers and barriers having separable elements.

Heretofore, it has been the custom to provide locks for securing lockers or cabinets assigned to students or workmen in large installations usch as schools, laboratories, work shops and the like, and in factories, where each student or workman has a locker or cabinet in which his books, clothing, tools and the like are kept. Because of the ditficulty in keeping keys associated with key locks, and because key locks are generally easier to pick, combination locks have come into wide use for such application. When such combination locks are used, the combinations for each of the locks are different, and each student or workman normally knows only the combination giving access to his particular locker. As the lockers or cabinets in these cases are usually periodically reassigned to different students or different workmen, it is highly desirable that the combination of the locks provided on the doors of the lockers should be readily subject to change upon such reassignment so that the former tenant of the locker who has memorized the combination would not have further access to the locker.

Present combination locks for such installations are pre-set at the factory, and each lock is coded and the pre-set combination number is related to the individually coded lock. A control book is issued to the institutional purchaser. The lockers must be numbered, and each coded lock with its separate combination must be assigned to a particular locker, and a record kept of all this. Afterwards, to provide access to a locker by a single person, the combination numbers for each lock must be issued to him, with this recorded in a separate file card system or by other means.

Combination locks in present use are so constructed, that, even though many hundreds, or thousands, of combinations are possible at the factory, once a given lock is set by factory assembly, only a few more combinations (four, in one well-known brand) are available to custodians who must then follow a pre-arranged sequence of different combination numbers. This sequence becomes a cycle after the sequence is completed.

The custodian must change the combination number in present locks; the user cannot change the number. Further, the custodian must refer to the control book for each lock, and has no choice other than the prearranged sequence above mentioned.

Changing the combination numbers is slow and tedious work. Mistakes sometimes are made by custodians after changing relatively few (15-20, or so) at one time, because the fingers become tired.

Although the control book and the indexed file cards are reserved to the custodian, the combination numbers can be, and sometimes are, pilfered, and security is lost.

Also, it is important in providing combination locks on the doors of such cabinets or lockers to attempt to provide as simple a combination lock construction as possible, because of the large number of such lock units required for such a school or factory installation.

Furthermore, it is highly desirable that the lock construction be such as to permit easy restoration of lost combinations and resetting of combinations by custodians, so as to avoid destruction of locks if a combination number is forgotten or a record of the combination is misplaced or lost.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is the provision of a novel combination lock mechanism for lockers, cabinets and the like, which eliminates many of the above-mentioned limitations, inconveniences and disadvantages of previously available combination locks, which is of durable and reliable construction and is readily adaptable to mass production techniques and which provides a relatively simple and inexpensive lock construction.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a combination lock mechanism for lockers, cabinets and the like, which is operated in a novel manner permitting simplification of construction and reduction of expense of the combination lock.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel combination lock mechanism for lockers, cabinets and the like, wherein the lock construction is readily adaptable to left hand and right hand installations, and which is constructed so as to facilitate dialing of the combination and visual observation of the disposition of the dial wheels relative to an index mark by the operator from a variety of different angular positions.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel combination lock construction for lockers, cabinets and the like, wherein the lock can be operated by the custodian in a manner permitting opening of the lock and determination of the correct combination and reestablishing of a new combination, to avoid necessity of destroying a lock having a lost combination.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating preferred embodiments thereof.

the combination lock assembly;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

'FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical transverse section view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section view showing the rear of the bolt, taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the combination lock assembly;

FIG. 7 is a vertical section view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6; and,

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the second embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures, and particularly to the embodiment illustrated in 'FIGS. 14, the combination lock structure of the present invention is indicated generally by the referenced character 10 and comprises a vertically elongated base plate unit 11, which may if desired be an integrally formed unit, but in the illustrated embodiment is constructed of a mounting plate member 12 having a forwardly offset central portion 12a and upper and lower rearwardly offset end portions 12b from which suitable fastening members extend such as the threaded stud 12c to project through accommodating apertures in the locker or cabinet door 13. The central portion 12a of the mounting plate member 12 is provided with a laterally elongated aperture 12a and with a rectangular aperture 112a" laterally offset from the aperture 12a.

A cover plate member 14 having a corresponding front profile to the mounting plate member 12 is provided as an ornamental cover to the mounting plate member 12, and includes a laterally elongated central aperture 14a similar to the aperture 12a, and a rectangular aperture 14a" similar to the rectangular aperture 12a" of the mounting plate member. To provide an attractive appearance of appropriate mass, the perimeter of the cover plate 14 has a continuous rearwardly projecting flange 15 which abuts the front surface of the locker or cabinet door 13. A rigid fence member 116, in the form of a narrow, laterally elongated bar, projects from the cover plate 14 in lateral or horizontal alignment with the center axis of the central aperture 14a.

Forwardly overlying the base plate unit 11 is a laterally movable escutcheon ring or dial ring 17 having a forwardly opening cylindrical central well 18 to receive the largest diameter dial member, as later described, bounded by an annular rim 19 of truncated conical configuration inclining rearwardly and radially outwardly to the plane of the front face of the cover pate 14. 'Within the Well portion 18 of the ring member 17 are a circular central aperture 17a, flanked by a rectangular aperture 17a" corresponding to the apertures i12a and 14a" and an elongated slot 17b having a vertical width to accommodate the vertical dimensions of the fence member 16 to permit lateral rectilinear movement of the escutcheon ring 17 through a selected stroke from a first latching position wherein it is aligned with the base plate unit to a second unlatching position displaced laterally therefrom.

zRotatably supported on a center shaft 20 in progressive outwardly extending relation from the ring 17 are a first larger diameter dial assembly 21, a second intermediate diameter dial assembly 22 and a third smaller diameter dial assembly 23. The larger diameter dial assembly 21 includes a dial wheel 24 having an annular disc like body portion 25 provided with a central aperture 25a and a rearwardly projecting, circumferentially continuous outer flange 25b whose diameter corresponds substantially to the diameter of the well 18 in the escutcheon ring 17 to nest therein. The radially outer surface of the flange 25b lying outwardly of the annular ring 19 of the esctucheon ring is knurled to facilitate manipulation thereof. The forwardly facing annular region of the front of dial wheel 24 outwardly of intermediate dial 22 has dial graduations and markings thereon, and the inwardly facing surface of the flange 25b is formed with a series of concave indentations or detent recesses 26 spaced around its entire circumference, corresponding in number to the dial marklugs, and an insert disc 27 is fitted in the rearwardly opening cylindrical chamber defined by the body portion 25 and flange 25b of the dial wheel. This insert disc 27 has a central aperture which corresponds in diameter to the aperture 25a of the body portion 25, surrounded by a rearwardly projecting annular hub portion 28 recessed at one circumferential position to define a recess or gate 28a, the remainder of the disc being a flat annular body having a substantially circular perimeter to frictionally engage the inwardly facing surface of the outer flange 25b. If desired, the perimeter of the insert disc 27 may have a plurality of circumferentially spaced noses or protrusions 27a, three of which are shown in the preferred embodiment, sized to interfit in the detent recesses 26 of the flange 25b, and the disc 27 may be rendered more flexible in the region of the noses 27a by inclined cuts 27b extending inwardly from the periphery along, for example, chords of the insert disc and intercepting the outer periphery close to the locations of the noses 27a.

The intermediate dial assembly 22, in the preferred embodiment, is formed of a solid annular cylindrical wheel member 29 having dial graduations and numerical markings on its outer periphery, and having a central aperture 29a approximating the diameter 25a of the dial wheel 24 but formed with shallow gear teeth 30 over approximately the outer axial half of the thickness of the wheel member 29, which are normally intermeshed with gear tooth formations :31 on the axially elongated hub portion 32 of tumbler wheel member 33 having an integral, radially outwardly projecting locking disc portion 34 on the rearward end of the hub portion 32 interrupted by a recess or gate 34a. The hub portion 32 may be slotted axially along a portion of its length rearwardly from the forwardmost end thereof as indicated at 32a to increase the capacity of the portion having the gear tooth formations 31 thereon to be flexed radially inwardly. The outer diameter of the hub portion 32 is of appropriate size to rotatably fit in the aperture 25c of the dial wheel 24, with the locking disc portion 34 lying immediately rearwardly of the hub portion 28 of insert disc 27. The hub portion 32 also extends into the intermediate diameter wheel member 29 located outwardly of the dial Wheel 24.

The smaller diameter dial assembly 23 comprises a solid annular cylindrical dial wheel member 35 similar in construction to the wheel member 29, having graduations and periodic numerical markings on its cylindrical periphery, and having a central aperture 35a likewise provided with gear teeth 36 on the outer axial half thereof. These gear teeth 36 are normally intermeshed with the gear tooth formations 37 on the forwardmost end of the axially elongated hub portion 38 of tumbler wheel member 39 constructed similar to the hub portion 32 and tumbler wheel member 33, the hub portion 38 having a diameter to fit within and be journaled by the central aperture of the hub portion 32. The tumbler wheel member 39 has an integral locking disc portion 40 provided with a peripheral recess or gate 40a.

The intermediate wheel member 29 has a cylindrical cavity therein which houses a coil spring 41, the opposite ends of which bear against detent or check balls 42 likewise guided by the aperture housing the spring 41. The detent or check ball 42 which is urged rearwardly coacts with a circumferentially spaced series of detent sockets 43 in the front face of the dial wheel 24, and the other cheek ball coacts with a similar circumferentially spaced series of detent sockets 44 in the rear face of the smaller diameter wheel member 35, to resiliently but releasably restrain the dial wheels 29 and 35 at the angular positions to which they have been manually adjusted.

The dial assemblies are normally held in assembled relation with the escutcheon ring 17 and base plate unit 11 by the center shaft 20 having a shank 45 and an enlarged head 46 at the outer or front end thereof of slightly larger diameter than the opening 35:; in the wheel member 35, and in the preferred embodiment fitting in a complementary enlarged portion of the central aperture 35a at the outermost or front end of the wheel member 35. The shank 45 of the center spindle 20 extends through the central bore of the tumbler wheel member 39 and through the center opening 17a of escutcheon ring 17 and the laterally elongated center apertures 14a and 12a of the components of the mounting plate unit 11. A portion of the shank 45 of the spindle extends rearwardly of the center portion 12a. of the mounting plate member 12 and is restrained in assembled relation thereon by suitable fastening means, such as the thin annular washer 47 and C-shaped retaining key 48, the latter fitting into two diametrically opposite transverse locking slots or kerfs 45a in the center spindle 2.0.

A generally U-shaped detent spring 49 is disposed between the hub portion 28 of the insert disc 27 and the outer flange 25b of the dial wheel 24, and comprises an outer leg 50 terminating in an outwardly bowed detent nose 50a to intenfit in the detent recesses 26 of the outer flange 25b, and has an inner leg 51 bearing against the hub portion 28 and including a forwardly projecting lug 51:: which fits into the rectangular apertures 17a", 14a" and 12a of the components of the base plate unit 11. The detent spring 49 therefore resiliently retains the larger diameter dial wheel 24 at the position to which it has been manually adjusted.

The rear end portion of the shank 45 of the center spindle 20 projects into a simple bolt assembly 55, which may comprise a casing 56 having vertically extending mounting flanges 57 and guidably supporting a bolt member 58 for horizontal rectilinear reciprocative movement within the casing 56. The bolt 58 has a laterally elongated aperture 59 therein which opens forwardly and communicates with a shaped recess 59a in the rear face of the bolt to receive a cam member 60. The cam member 60 has a cam portion 61 located in the cam recess 59a. of the bolt and a cylindrical bushing portion 62- defining a forwardly opening socket to receive and inter fit with the rearwardly projecting portion of the center spindle 20. The portion 62 is movable through a limited horizontal stroke relative to the bolt member 58 by being disposed in the laterally elongated aperture 59 in the bolt member and being biased to one end thereof by the coil spring 63.

Assuming the dial assemblies 21, 22 and 23' are disposed in the proper relative angular relationship for the established combination of the lock, the recesses or gates 28a, 34a and 40a of the tumbler wheel members associated with the dial wheels 25, 29 and 35- will be disposed in alignment with the fence member 16 projecting forwardly from the cover plate 14 of the base plate unit 11. In this set of angular positions of the dial assemblies, the three dial assemblies and the escutcheon ring 17 are then free to be moved laterally, to the right as viewed in FIG. 1, to the extent permitted by the depth of the gates 28a, 34a and 40a, which movement shifts the center spindle 20 and the bolt member 58 coupled with the rearmost end thereof through an appropriate retraction stroke to withdraw the bolt from the usual keeper or keeper opening in the stationary portion of the cabinet or locker into which the bolt normally projects to lock the cabinet or locker door in closed condition.

It will be noted that the annular rim portion 19 of the escutcheon ring 17, in the preferred embodiment, has a series of four circumferentially spaced holes or index marks, indicated by the reference character 19', spaced 90 degrees apart, any one of which, at the election of the operator, can serve as an index mark for dialing the combination. This considerably improves the convenience of the lock construction, as the upper index mark would be used for low installations well below the eyes of the observer, the bottom index mark may be used for high installations, as for an upper tier of cabinets or lockers located above the normal height of the user, and either the left or right index marks can be used in confined locations where visibility is restricted.

In setting the combination of the lock, the lock must first be dialed to open condition for the pre-existing combination. For example, all of these locks may be shipped preset on the combination zero-zero-zero, and preferably should arrive in an unlocked condition. When the hub portion 28, and the locking disc portions 34 and 40, of the respective dial assemblies are angularly disposed to the proper open condition disposing their gates in alignment to receive the fence member 16, and the escutcheon ring and dial assemblies are shifted laterally to the unlatched position, the dial wheels 25, 29 and 35, in the order commencing with the larger diameter and progressing to the smaller diameter, can be manually forced to dispose any desired peripheral marking or dial number in alignment with the selected index mark 19" to set the combination of the lock. This is accomplished because, when the larger diameter dial wheel 24 is rotated while the lock is in unlatched condition, the insert disc 27 is restrained against rotation due to the location of the fence member 16 in the gate 28a of the insert disc 27, thus producing relative movement between the dial wheel 24 and the insert disc and causing the insert disc to assume an appropriate angular position for the particular combination number selected for the larger dial wheel 24. Similarly, rotation of the intermediate size dial wheel member 29 with the lock in unlatched position forces it to rotate relative to its hub portion 32, the latter being restrained against movement by the interfitting of the fence member 16 in the gate 34a, and in like manner rotation of the smaller diameter wheel member 35 causes it to rotate to a new angular position relative to its tumbler wheel member 39, to thereby set up the combination desired for the lock.

It will be noted from FIG. 5 that the shaped recess 59a in the bolt has a vertical shoulder 59a confronting and normally engaging a similar shoulder 61a of the cam portion 61. Within the socket of the bushing portion 62 of cam member is a metal disc 64 with lugs 64a fitting into complementary recesses in the cam member 60 to interlock the members 60 and 64 against relative rotation. The center of the disc 64 is formed with a selectively shaped, non-round keyway or hole 64b designed to receive and interfit with a specially shaped bit end of a master release key 65, similar to an Allen wrench, to be normally kept by a custodian or the like. The spindle 20 has a center hole or bore 20' therethrough through which the shank of the release key 65 may be inserted to interfit the bit end thereof in the shaped hole of the disc 64 so that the cam 60 can be rotated by manual rotation of the key 65 to retract the bolt 58 from the locker keeper by interaction of the shoulders 59a and 61a. Thus when the tenant of the locker has forgotten the combination, or entry without knowledge of the combination is required, the lock can be opened by insertion and turning of the custodians release key 65.

The combination on which the lock is set can be then determined, after the locker has been thus opened, by inserting the shank of the release key from rearwardly of the bolt casing 56 through aperture extensions 66a and 66b in the casing 56 and bolt 58, an aligned hole (not shown) in the locker door, extensions 66c and 66d in mounting plate 12 and cover plate 14, and through the slot 17b in escutcheon ring 17, until the bit end of the key 65 bears against the rearmost locking disc portion 40. The dial wheel member 35 is then rotated until the gate in disc portion 40 registers with the release key, permitting it to be moved a short distance forward. This procedure is repeated by rotating dial wheel member 29 until the gate in disc portion 34 registers with key 65 and then rotating dial wheel 24 until the gate in hub portion 28 registers with the key 65 in each case permitting further forward movement of the key 65. Since the aperture extensions 66a, 66b, 66c and 66d are all aligned in the same radial direction from the axis of spindle 20 as the fence member 16, the registry of the key 65 with the gates of each of the locking disc or hub portions 40, 34 and 28 arranges the dial wheels so that the dial number of the combination on which the lock is set are in alignment with the selected index mark on the escutcheon ring and can be visually read.

A second embodiment of the combination lock is illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 8 inclusive wherein most of the components are basically like those of the previously described embodiment. Accordingly, the components of this second embodiment which correspond to those of the first embodiment are indicated by reference characters in the 100 series with the second and third digits of the reference characters corresponding to the reference characters used in describing the first embodiment. In this second embodiment, the base plate unit 111 includes a mounting plate member 112 and a cover plate 114 mounted on the locker or cabinet door 113, the cover plate 114 having the laterally elongated central aperture 114a, the rectilinear aperture 114a, and the fence member 116. However, the escutcheon ring 17 of the first embodiment is dispensed with, and in its stead is provided a first larger diameter dial wheel member 12-4 having a body portion 125, a central aperture 125a, and an outer flange 125b with concave indentations or detent recesses 126 in the inwardly facing surface thereof, but having no insert disc 27 like the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the forwardly inclined face 124a of the dial Wheel 124 has dial marking adjacent the periphery of the dial wheel member, as illustrated in FIG. 6, and numerals at selected locations, to provide the numerical dialing index for the remaining dial wheels.

This embodiment has three movable dial wheels of progressively decreasing diameter spaced forwardly from the larger diameter dial wheel 124, including a first or larger intermediate dial wheel member 129 constructed like the dial wheel 29 and having teeth in the forward portion of the central aperture thereof interfitting with teeth on the forward end of the hub portion 132 of tumbler wheel member 133, which likewise has a locking disc portion 134 located within the cavity defined by the rim or flange of the dial wheel 124. Similarly, a smaller intermediate dial wheel member, herein designated by the reference character 101, is constructed like the dial wheel member 129, but has a smaller diameter, as illustrated, and has teeth 102 about the forward portion of its central opening 101a to interfit with gear tooth formations 103 on the forward end of the hub portion 104 of a tumbler wheel member 105 like the tumbler wheel member 133 but having a smaller diameter hub to be journaled in the central bore of the hub portion 132. The tumbler wheel member 105 has a locking disc portion 106 on the inner end thereof of the same diameter as the locking disc portion 134 and having a recess or gate 106a therein corresponding in profile to the gate 134a.

Similarly, a smaller outermost dial wheel member 135 lies immediately outwardly of the dial wheel member 101 and has gear teeth 136 in the outer portion of its central aperture 135a meshing with the gear tooth portions 137 of hub portion 138 of tumbler wheel member 139 which is also journaled in the hub bore of tumbler wheel member 105. Locking disc portion 140 on the rearmost end of tumbler wheel member 139 also corresponds in diameter to the other two locking disc portions and has a similar gate therein. The three gates in the three locking disc portions 134, 106, and 140, when aligned with each other and angularly disposed on a line between the axis of the tumbler wheel members and the fence 116, will accommodate the fence 116 and therefore permit lateral movement of the assembly of dial wheel members 124, 129, 101, and 135 to the right as viewed in FIG. 6 from a latched position to an unlatched position. As with the first embodiment, a center shaft 120 having a head at the forward end thereof and a small bore therethrough extends through the central bore of the innermost tumbler wheel member 139 and through the laterally elognated central apertures of the cover plate 114 and mounting plate member 112. The transverse kerfs in the shaft 120 are located immediately rearwardly of the mounting plate member 112 for fastening of the shaft thereon by the 8 washer 1-47 and C-shaped retaining key 148 in the same manner as in the first embodiment. The portion of the shaft projecting rearwardly from the base plate unit 111 interfits into the socket of the bushing portion 62 of cam member 60 of the bolt assembly 55, in the same manner as the previously described embodiment, for operating the bolt in the same manner as earlier described.

However, in the last described embodiment, there are no numbers or index lines required on the peripheries of the dial wheel members 129, 101 and 135, but rather a single dot or similar index mark is provided at a selected angular position on each of these dial wheel members. These dots or index marks on dial members 129, 101 and are aligned with appropriate numbers or dial markings on the largest dial wheel member 124 to operate the lock. The largest dial wheel member 124 is not functional as a tumbler-operating dial member in this second embodiment, as it has no locking disc portion coupled to it to be manually adjusted upon rotation of the dial wheel member 124. Rather, the largest dial wheel 124 functions only as a moving index, as it can be rotated to different angular positions relative to the base plate unit 11 by forcing it about the common axis of the dial wheels against the restraining action of the detent spring 149 normally resiliently restraining the dial wheel 124 at the particular angular position to which it is manually adjusted. Also, for simplicity and reduction of costs, the spring and ball check assemblies provided in the intermediate dial Wheel member of the first described embodiment are dispensed with in the second embodiment.

With the locks of the above described constructions, there is no need to code the locks in accordance with any factory pre-set combinations and recording of the relationship between the coded lock and the pre-set combination number in a control book as with many of the prior combination locks. Also, the number of combinations which may be used is not limited as in the prior combination locks for institutional lockers as earlier described, as the total number of combinations mathematically present from the number of graduations on the dial wheels are available to the purchaser. The assistance of a custodian or other semi-technical personnel is not required to change the combination of the lock, as the user of the lock can change the combination at will. Since the custodian can readily gain access when needed by means of the simple key 65 previously described, there is no need to maintain any control book or indexed file cards which would otherwise be required to be maintained by the custodian and which are therefore subject to theft or loss of security.

What is claimed is:

1. A combination lock assembly for a locker door and the like, comprising a bolt casing to be mounted rearwardly against the door having a reciprocative bolt movable along a bolt axis between locking and unlocking positions, a spindle for moving the bolt coupled thereto and extending perpendicularly through the door to a forwardly projected position, a base plate to be mounted against the front of the door having an elongated opening for the spindle accommodating lateral movement along a radial axis paralleling said bolt axis between first and second positions disposing said bolt at said locking and unlocking positions respectively, a plurality of dial assemblies including first, second and third rotatable dial wheels located in progressively outwardly spaced relation forwardly of said base plate concentric with and rotatable on said spindle and annular tumbler wheel members respectively coupled to said dial wheels and controlled thereby, said tumbler wheel members being disposed in side-by-side concentric relation to said spindle immediately forwardly of said base plate and each having a peripheral gate, and said base plate having a forward projecting fixed fence bar located immediately adjacent the peripheries of said tumble wheel members for normally restraining the dial assemblies and spindle against lateral movement from said first position, said fence bar being located along said radial axis to be received in the gates of said tumbler wheel members when a selected lock combination is dialed and permit unitary movement of the dial assemblies and spindle to said second position thereby retracting the bolt to unlocking position.

2. A combination lock assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said tumbler wheel members include radially inwardly deformable coupling portions having outwardly facing projections arranged in a circular path and said dial wheels have confronting recesses concentrically surrounding and closely adjacent said coupling portions to intermesh with said projections at a plurality of different angular positions for establishing ditferent combinations for the lock assembly, the combination being changeable by manually rotating the dial wheels while the lock assembly is in unlocked position with said fence bar disposed in said gates holding the tumbler wheel members against rotation.

3. A combination lock assembly as defined in claim 2, including an escutcheon ring member between said base plate and the rearmost dial wheel, the escutcheon ring member including an annular rim portion radially outwardly adjacent the last-mentioned dial wheel having a plurality of index marks at circumferentially spaced locations thereon including top and bottom index marks providing references viewable respectively from above and below the lock with which graduations on the dial wheels may be aligned in dialing the combination.

4. A combination lock assembly as defined in claim 2, including a larger diameter dial wheel forming a reference dial for the dial wheels of said dial assemblies, said reference dial having graduations and numbers thereon and being the rearmost dial wheel, and the dial wheels of said dial assemblies each having an index mark on the periphery thereof to be visually aligned with selected graduations on said reference dial in dialing the combination of the lock assembly.

5. A combination lock assembly as defined in claim 2, including a larger diameter dial wheel forming a reference dial for the dial wheels of said dial assemblies, said reference dial having forwardly facing graduations and numbers thereon and being the rearmost dial wheel, and the dial wheels of said dial assemblies each having an index mark on the periphery thereof to be visually aligned with selected graduations on said reference dial in dialing the combination of the lock assembly, and said reference dial being rotatable about the axis of said spindle and including detent means for releasably restraining the reference wheel at the angular positions to which it is manually adjusted.

6. A combination lock assembly as defined in claim 2, including cam means fixed on the rearmost end portion of said spindle normally resiliently biased to an angular position relative to surfaces of said bolt for moving the bolt along said bolt axis upon radial movement of said spindle to said second position, said spindle having a center bore therethrough, key means insertable through said center bore into coupled relation with said cam means for rotation of the cam means to retract the bolt to said second position by such cam rotation upon rotation of the key.

7. A combination lock assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein two of said dial wheels have a center bore having gear teeth in a band around the surface thereof, and the two tumbler wheel members associated with said two dial wheels include axially elongated tubular hub portions to be rotatably disposed in concentric relation about each ot her on said spindle, the forwardmost portion of said hub portions having gear tooth formations thereon intermeshing with said gear teeth at any of a plurality of selected different angular positions.

8. A combination lock assembly as defined in claim 7, wherein axial splits are provided in the forwardmost portions of said hub portions to impart sufiicient inward radial yieldability thereto to permit manual rotation of their associated dial wheels to new angular combination positions relative to said hub portions while the dial assembly is in said second position wherein the tumbler wheel members are held against rotation by the fence bar located in said gates.

9. A combination lock assembly as defined in claim 8, including an escutcheon ring member between said base plate and the rearmost dial wheel, the escutcheon ring member including an annular rim portion radially outwardly adjacent the last-mentioned dial wheel having a plurality of index marks at circumferentially spaced locations thereon including top and bottom index marks providing references viewable respectively from above and below the lock with which graduations on the dial wheels may be aligned in dialing the combination.

10. A combination lock assembly as defined in claim 8, including a larger diameter dial wheel forming a reference dial for the dial wheels of said dial assemblies, said reference dial having graduations and numbers thereon and being the rearmost dial wheel, and the dial wheels of said dial assemblies each having an index mark on the periphery thereof to be visually aligned with selected gradnations on said reference dial in dialing the combination of the lock assembly.

11. A combination lock assembly as defined in claim 8, including a larger diameter dial wheel forming a reference dial for the dial wheels of said dial assemblies, said reference dial having forwardly facing graduations and numbers thereon and being the rearmost dial wheel, and the dial wheels of said dial assemblies each having an index mark on the periphery thereof to be visually aligned with selected graduations on said reference dial in dialing the combination of the lock assembly, and said reference dial being rotatable about the axis of said spindle and including detent means for releasably restraining the reference wheel at the angular positions to which it is manually adjusted.

12. A combination lock assembly as defined in claim 7, including an escutcheon ring member between said base plate and the rearmost dial wheel, the escutcheon ring member including an annular rim portion radially outwardly adjacent the last-mentioned dial wheel having a plurality of index marks at circumferentially spaced locations thereon including top and bottom index marks providing references viewable respectively from above and below the lock with which graduations on the dial wheels may be aligned in dialing the combination.

13. A combination lock assembly as defined in claim 1, including an escutcheon ring member between said base plate and the rearmost dial wheel, the escutcheon ring member including an annular rim portion radially outwardly adjacent the last-mentioned dial wheel having a plurality of index marks at circumferentially spaced locations thereon including top and bottom index marks providing references viewable respectively from above and below the lock with which graduations on the dial wheels may be aligned in dialing the combination.

14. A combination lock assembly as defined in claim 13, including cam means fixed on the rearmost end portion of said spindle normally resiliently biased to an angular position relative to surfaces of said bolt for moving the bolt along said bolt axis upon radial movement of said spindle to said second position, said spindle having a center bore therethrough, key means insertable through said center bore into coupled relation with said cam means for rotation of the cam means to retract the bolt to said second position by such cam rotation upon rotation of the key.

15. A combination lock assembly as defined in claim 13, including cam means fixed on the rearmost end portion of said spindle normally resiliently biased to an angular position relative to surfaces of said bolt for moving the bolt along said bolt axis upon radial movement of said spindle to said second position, said spindle having a center bore therethrough, key me'ans insertable through said center bore into coupled relation with said cam means for rotation of the cam means to retract the bolt to said second position by such cam rotation upon rotation of the key, and said bolt casing, bolt and base plate having registering key apertures for insertion of the key in forwardly projecting relation into contact with said tumbler wheel members in the paths of the gates thereof to successively enter said gates upon rotation of said dial wheels in a selected order and identify the combination of the lock.

16. A combination lock assembly as defined in claim 1, including a larger diameter dial wheel forming a reference dial for the dial wheels of said dial assemblies, said reference dial having graduations and numbers thereon and being the rearmost dial wheel, and the dial wheels of said dial assemblies each having an index mark on the periphery thereof to be visually aligned with selected graduations on said reference dial in dialing the combination of the lock assembly.

17. A combination lock assembly as defined in claim 1, including a larger diameter dial wheel forming a reference dial for the dial wheels of said dial assemblies, said reference dial having forwardly facing graduations and numbers thereon and being the rearmost dial wheel, and the dial wheels of said dial assemblies each having an index mark on the periphery thereof to be visually aligned with selected graduations on said reference dial in dialing the combination of the lock assembly, and said reference dial being rotatable about the axis of said spindle and including detent means for releasably restraining the reference wheel at the angular positions to which it is manually adjusted.

18. A combination lock assembly as defined in claim 17, including cam means fixed on the rearmost end portion of said spindle normally resiliently biased to an angular position relative to surfaces of said bolt for moving the bolt along said bolt axis upon radial movement of said spindle to said second position, said spindle having a center bore therethrough, key means insertable through said center bore into coupled relation with said cam means for rotation of the cam means to retract the bolt to said second position by such cam rotation upon rotation of the key.

19. A combination lock assembly as defined in claim 17, including cam means fixed on the rearmost end portion of said spindle normally resiliently biased to an angular position relative to surfaces of said bolt for moving the bolt along said bolt axis upon radial movement of said spindle to said second position, said spindle having a center bore therethrough, key means insertable through said center bore into coupled relation with said cam means for rotation of the cam means to retract the bolt to said second position by such cam rotation upon rotation of the key, and said bolt casing, bolt and base plate having registering key apertures for insertion of the key in forwardly projecting relation into contact with said tumbler wheel members in the paths of the gates thereof to successively enter said gates upon rotation of said dial wheels in a selected order and identify the combination of the lock.

20. A combination lock assembly as defined in claim 1, including cam means fixed on the rearmost end portion of said spindle normally resiliently biased to an angular position relative to surfaces of said bolt for moving the bolt along said bolt axis upon radial movement of said spindle to said second position, said spindle having a center bore therethrough, key means insertable through said center bore into coupled relation with said cam means for rotation of the cam means to retract the bolt to said second position by such cam rotation upon rotation of the key,

21. A combination lock assembly as defined in claim 1, including cam means fixed on the rearmost end portion of said spindle normally resiliently biased to an angular position relative to surfaces of said bolt for moving the bolt along said bolt axis upon radial movement of said spindle to said second position, said spindle having a center bore therethrough, key means insertable through said center bore into coupled relation with said cam means for rotation of the cam means to retract the bolt to said second position by such cam rotation upon rotation of the key, and said bolt casing, bolt and base plate having registering key apertures for insertion of the key in forwardly projecting relation into contact with said tumbler wheel members in the paths of the gates thereof to successively enter said gates upon rotation of said dial wheels in a selected order and identify the combination of the lock.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 427,421 5/1890 Jackson -446 1,308,521 7/1919 Butter 70-316 X 1,355,776 10/1920 Fillings 70-310 1,417,038 5/1922 Dages 70310 X 1,898,241 2/1933 Carlson 70-2 2,002,453 5/1935 North 70-285 2,116,837 5/1938 Kittler 70-310 X 2,332,239 10/1943 Lalonde 70285 X FOREIGN PATENTS 89,903 11/1922 Austria 703l6 ALBERT G. CRAIG, 111., Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

